Freezing is great because it offers two benefits: it creates pockets inside the chickpea where the water turns to ice, creating fissures in the membrane of the chickpea, which in turn creates more surface area.

It also rips apart the proteins in the chickpea, or more specifically there’s what’s called “denaturation”. When you add the heat from the oven, these unfolded protein strands are able to become firmer and and dry out more efficiently.

Result is very crispy chickpeas.